joan of naples-第19部分

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　young　brothers　at　Naples；　they　accordingly　set　off　for　Aversa；　where　the　king　was。　　Louis　received　them　with　every　mark　of　friendship；　and　asked　with　much　interest　why　their　brothers　were　not　with　them。　　The　princes　replied　that　their　young　brothers　had　stayed　at　Naples　to　prepare　a　worthy　reception　for　His　Majesty。　　Louis　thanked　them　for　their　kind　intentions；　but　begged　them　to　invite　the　young　princes　now；　saying　that　it　would　be　infinitely　more　pleasant　to　enter　Naples　with　all　his　family；　and　that　be　was　most　anxious　to　see　his　cousins。　　Charles　and　Robert；　to　please　the　king；　sent　equerries　to　bid　their　brothers　come　to　Aversa；　but　Louis　of　Durazzo；　the　eldest　of　the　boys；　with　many　tears　begged　the　others　not　to　obey；　and　sent　a　message　that　he　was　prevented　by　a　violent　headache　from　leaving　Naples。　　So　puerile　an　excuse　could　not　fail　to　annoy　Charles；　and　the　same　day　he　compelled　the　unfortunate　boys　to　appear　before　the…king；　sending　a　formal　order　which　admitted　of　no　delay。　Louis　of　Hungary　embraced　them　warmly　one　after　the　other；　asked　them　several　questions　in　an　affectionate　way；　kept　them　to　supper；　and　only　let　them　go　quite　late　at　night。

When　the　Duke　of　Durazzo　reached　his　room；　Lello　of　Aquila　and　the　Count　of　Fondi　slipped　mysteriously　to　the　side　of　his　bed；　and　making　sure　that　no　one　could　hear；　told　him　that　the　king　in　a　council　held　that　morning　had　decided　to　kill　him　and　to　imprison　the　other　princes。　　Charles　heard　them　out；　but　incredulously：　suspecting　treachery；　he　dryly　replied　that　he　had　too　much　confidence　in　his　cousin's　loyalty　to　believe　such　a　black　calumny。　　Lello　insisted；　begging　him　in　the　name　of　his　dearest　friends　to　listen；　but　the　duke　was　impatient；　and　harshly　ordered　him　to　depart。

The　next　day　there　was　the　same　kindness　on　the　king's　part；　the　same　affection　shown　to　the　children；　the　same　invitation　to　supper。　　The　banquet　was　magnificent；　the　room　was　brilliantly　lighted；　and　the　reflections　were　dazzling：　vessels　of　gold　shone　on　the　table；　the　intoxicating　perfume　of　flowers　filled　the　air；　wine　foamed　in　the　goblets　and　flowed　from　the　flagons　in　ruby　streams：　conversation；　excited　and　discursive；　was　heard　on　every　side：　all　faces　beamed　with　joy。

Charles　of　Durazzo　sat　opposite　the　king；　at　a　separate　table　among　his　brothers。　　Little　by　little　his　look　grew　fixed；　his　brow　pensive。　　He　was　fancying　that　Andre　might　have　supped　in　this　very　hall　on　the　eve　of　his　tragic　end；　and　he　thought　how　all　concerned　in　that　death　had　either　died　in　torment　or　were　now　languishing　in　prison；　the　queen；　an　exile　and　a　fugitive；　was　begging　pity　from　strangers：　he　alone　was　free。　　The　thought　made　him　tremble；　but　admiring　his　own　cleverness　in　pursuing　his　infernal　schemes；　and　putting　away　his　sad　looks；　he　smiled　again　with　an　expression　of　indefinable　pride。　　The　madman　at　this　moment　was　scoffing　at　the　justice　of　God。　　But　Lello　of　Aquila；　who　was　waiting…at　the　table；　bent　down；　whispering　gloomily

〃Unhappy　duke；　why　did　you　refuse　to　believe　me？　　Fly；　while　there　is　yet　time。〃

Charles；　angered　by　the　man's　obstinacy；　threatened　that　if　he　were　such　a　fool　as　to　say　any　more；　he　would　repeat　every　word　aloud。

〃I　have　done　my　duty；〃　murmured　Lello；　bowing　his　head；　〃now　it　must　happen　as　God　wills。〃

As　he　left　off　speaking；　the　king　rose；　and　as　the　duke　went　up　to　take　his　leave；　his　face　suddenly　changed；　and　he　cried　in　an　awful　voice

〃Traitor！　　At　length　you　are　in　my　hands；　and　you　shall　die　as　you　deserve；　but　before　you　are　handed　over　to　the　executioner；　confess　with　your　own　lips　your　deeds　of　treachery　towards　our　royal　majesty：　so　shall　we　need　no　other　witness　to　condemn　you　to　a　punishment　proportioned　to　your　crimes。　　Between　our　two　selves；　Duke　of　Durazzo　tell　me　first　why；　by　your　infamous　manoeuvring；　you　aided　your　uncle；　the　Cardinal　of　Perigord；　to　hinder　the　coronation　of　my　brother；　and　so　led　him　on；　since　he　had　no　royal　prerogative　of　his　own；　to　his　miserable　end？　　Oh；　make　no　attempt　to　deny　it。　　Here　is　the　letter　sealed　with　your　seal　in　secret　you　wrote　it；　but　it　accuses　you　in　public。　　Then　why；　after　bringing　us　hither　to　avenge　our　brother's　death；　of　which　you　beyond　all　doubt　were　the　cause；　why　did　you　suddenly　turn　to　the　queen's　party　and　march　against　our　town　of　Aquila；　daring　to　raise　an　army　against　our　faithful　subjects？　　You　hoped；　traitor；　to　make　use　of　us　as　a　footstool　to　mount　the　throne　withal；　as　soon　as　you　were　free　from　every　other　rival。　　Then　you　would　but　have　awaited　our　departure　to　kill　the　viceroy　we　should　have　left　in　our　place；　and　so　seize　the　kingdom。　But　this　time　your　foresight　has　been　at　fault。　　There　is　yet　another　crime　worse　than　all　the　rest；　a　crime　of　high　treason；　which　I　shall　remorselessly　punish。　　You　carried　off　the　bride　that　our　ancestor　King　Robert　designed　for　me；　as　you　knew；　by　his　will。　　Answer；　wretch　what　excuse　can　you　make　for　the　rape　of　the　Princess　Marie？〃

Anger　had　so　changed　Louis's　voice　that　the　last　words　sounded　like　the　roar　of　a　wild　beast：　his　eyes　glittered　with　a　feverish　light；　his　lips　were　pale　and　trembling。　　Charles　and　his　brothers　fell　upon　their　knees；　frozen　by　mortal　terror；　and　the　unhappy　duke　twice　tried　to　speak；　but　his　teeth　were　chattering　so　violently　that　he　could　not　articulate　a　single　word。　　At　last；　casting　his　eyes　about　him　and　seeing　his　poor　brothers；　innocent　and　ruined　by　his　fault；　he　regained　some　sort　of　courage；　and　said

〃My　lord；　you　look　upon　me　with　a　terrible　countenance　that　makes　me　tremble。　　But　on　my　knees　I　entreat　you；　have　mercy　on　me　if　I　have　done　wrong；　for　God　is　my　witness　that　I　did　not　call　you　to　this　kingdom　with　any　criminal　intention：　I　have　always　desired；　and　still　desire；　your　supremacy　in　all　the　sincerity　of　my　soul。　　Some　treacherous　counsellors；　I　am　certain；　have　contrived　to　draw　down　your　hatred　upon　me。　　If　it　is　true；　as　you　say；　that　I　went　with　an　armed　force　to　Aquila　I　was　compelled　by　Queen　Joan；　and　I　could　not　do　otherwise；　but　as　soon　as　I　heard　of　your　arrival　at　Fermo　I　took　my　troops　away　again。　　I　hope　for　the　love　of　Christ　I　may　obtain　your　mercy　and　pardon；　by　reason　of　my　former　services　and　constant　loyalty。　　But　as　I　see　you　are　now　angry　with　me；　I　say　no　more　waiting　for　your　fury　to　pass　over：　Once　again；　my　lord；　have　pity　upon　us；　since　we　are　in　the　hands　of　your　Majesty。〃

The　king　turned　away　his　head；　and　retired　slowly；　confiding　the　prisoners　to　the　care　of　Stephen　Vayvoda　and　the　Count　of　Zornic；　who　guarded　them　during　the　night　in　a　room　adjoining　the　king's　chamber。　The　next　day　Louis　held　another　meeting　of　his　council；　and　ordered　that　Charles　should　have　his　throat　cut　on　the　very　spot　where　poor　Andre　had　been　hanged。　　He　then　sent　the　other　princes　of　the　blood；　loaded　with　chains；　to　Hungary；　where　they　were　long　kept　prisoners。　Charles；　quite　thunderstruck　by　such　an　unexpected　blow；　overwhelmed　by　the　thought　of　his　past　crimes；　trembled　like　a　coward　face　to　face　with　death；　and　seemed　completely　crushed。　　Bowed；　upon　his　knees；　his　face　half　hidden　in　his　hands；　from　time　to　time　convulsive　sobs　escaped　him；　as　he　tried　to　fix　the　thoughts　that　chased　each　other　through　his　mind　like　the　shapes　of　a　monstrous　dream。　　Night　was　in　his　soul；　but　every　now　and　then　light　flashed　across　the　darkness；　and　over　the　gloomy　background　of　his　despair　passed　gilded　figures　fleeing　from　him　with　smiles　of　mockery。　　In　his　ears　buzzed　voices　from　the　other　world；　he　saw　a　long　procession　of　ghosts；　like　the　conspirators　whom　Nicholas　of　Melazzo　had　pointed　out　in　the　vaults　of　Castel　Nuovo。　　But　these　phantoms　each　held　his　head　in　his　hand；　and　shaking　it　by　the　hair；　bespattered　him　with　drops　of　blood。　　Some　brandished　whips；　some　knives：　each　threatened　Charles　with　his　instrument　of　torture。　　Pursued　by　the　nocturnal　train；　the　hapless　man　opened　his　mouth　for　one　mighty　cry；　but　his　breath　was　gone；　and　it　died　upon　his　lips。　　Then　he　beheld　his　mother　stretching　out　her　arms　from　afar；　and　he　fancied　that　if　he　could　but　reach　her　he　would　be　safe　But　at　each　step　the　path　grew　more　and　more　narrow；　pieces　of　his　flesh　were　torn　off　by　the　approaching　walls；　at　last；　breathless；　naked　and　bleeding；　he　reached　his　goal；　but　his　mother　glided　farther　away；　and　it　was　all　to　begin　over　again。　　The；　phantoms　pursued　him；　grinning　and　screaming　in　his　ears：

〃Cursed　be　he　who　slayeth　his　mother！〃

Charles　was　roused　from　these　horrors　by　the　cries　of　his　brothers；　who　had　come　to　embrace　him　for　the　last　time　before　embarking。　　The　duke　in　a　low　voice　asked　their　pardon；　and　then　fell　back　into　his　state　of　despair。　　The　children　were　dragged　away；　begging　to　be　allowed　to　share　their　brother's　fate；　and　crying　for　death　as　an　alleviation　of　their　woes。　　At　length　they　were　separated；　but　the　sound　of　their　lamentation　sounded　long　in　the　heart　of　the　condemned　man。　　After　a　few　moments；　two　soldiers　and　two　equerries　came　to　tell　the　duke　that　his　hour　had　come。

Charles　followed　them；　unresisting；　to　the　fatal　balcony　where　Andre　had　been　hanged。　　He　was　there　asked　if　he　desired　to　confess；　and　when　he　said　yes；　they　brought　a　monk　f